238 VEGETABLE GROWING. 



CARROT. 



This root crop may be shipped to a distant market 

 without danger of loss, but there is very little, if any, 

 profit in it at present. Vegetable growers should raise 

 and ship a few crates during April and May. It is 

 also an excellent crop to raise for home use. The 

 nutritive ratio is high for vegetables and its taste 

 pleasant. If one has planted more than is needed, 

 they may be fed to horses, cows, or hogs to good ad- 

 vantage. In many European countries they are raised 

 for this purpose ; butter from carrot fed milch cows 

 has a pleasant odor, sweet taste and a fine, yellow color. 



The vegetable is a good keeper, so the Northern 

 markets are stocked with the old crop until growing 

 season in the spring April or May. New carrots 

 may be found in the New York markets, however, 

 during the late winter months. 



SOIL AND PREPARATION. 



A deep, rich, dark-colored loam' is usually chosen 

 for this crop when grown extensively. It will make 

 good roots on a sandy loam or even on a light clay soil, 

 but the ground must be mellow. It is not necessary 

 that the land be rich in nitrogenous matter, but should 

 contain a good supply of phosphoric acid and potash. 

 A damp or wet soil will not raise a good crop. 



Plow the land deeply and remove all rubbish, espe- 

 cially undecomposed vegetable matter. 



FERTILIZER FORMULA. 



Nitrogen 3 per cent. 



Potash. 8 per cent. 



Available phosphoric acid 7 per cent. 



Use from 600 to 900 pounds of the above formula on 



